Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Swimming around in a plastic bag

The day I had been dreading finally came - I went to the pool and swam 500 yards. As I said yesterday I was going to make an effort to swim that far once a week to have a distance listed in the club challenge listings. Fortunately, it went better than I had hoped for and with very little water sucked in.

Of course it's not too hard to keep water out when you swim with your head up like a golden retriever looking for a ball in the water. I actually thought I would have to stop and rest for a spell halfway through but figured I would just get it over with and plug along. What I lack in technique, strength and speed I compensated for with stubbornness and stupidity - all necessary skills if you want to be an ultra marathoner, which I do NOT want to become.

Well, me don't swim too tough
so me don't go in the water too deep. Bob Marley
.
After having dinner last week with my friend Jason, who recently finished his first Ironman, he related about his first 500 yard timed effort. He said it killed him to do 15 minutes with no technique or training. I also finished in 15 minutes so I feel good about my first attempt, especially considering I held my breath the entire time. With goggles and better turns I'll be down to 14 minutes in no time. I'll be scary fast if I master a flip turn. By the way, the photo is of Micheal Phelps not me. I can see how one would be confused.

The highlight of the training day was not actual exercise, but my massage. Wanting to be ready to run when I go to Portland tomorrow I checked in with my main guy, Paul, who has put me together countless times. I am a major proponent of consistent massage therapy, especially as one gets older. Without the therapy I've invested in over the years I shudder to think what a black hole of shrunken muscles I would have become. Of course, the best massage is the one you get before you really need it. I hope to be on the proactive schedule rather than the reactive one I've been on lately.

Time to get packed and ready to head down to Portland and visit with the lads from Nike. Always an experience to go to the Nike Campus which I refer to as runner Disneyland. I'll have some fun posts from the house that Phil and Bill built.

2 comments:

Tom Ritchie said...

Have fun in Portland. I'll be running in the cold up here. When wrestling is over you got to get in some of our sunday runs.

Jole said...

Have a good time! FYI- rule of thumb for swimming- head up/feet down!!! It's ok, think of it as strength training :) have fun!